A bucket assembly is generally considered a specialized container configured for attaching to a machine and for lifting, transporting and/or handling material. The bucket assembly is defined by multiple walls that are movable relative to one another to form an inner volume for holding the material. The bucket assembly can be configured, for example, to attach to a lifting hook of a crane, an arm of an excavating machine, to wires of a dragline excavator, to arms of a power shovel or a tractor equipped with a backhoe loader or to a loader, or to a dredge.
Bucket assemblies can handle numerous types of material. For example, bucket assemblies can be designed to grab and lift small, particulate matter or single, large objects as large as, or larger than, an automobile.
Many challenges arise in designing and building particulate-handling bucket assemblies, i.e., bucket assemblies designed to handle particular matter, whether dry or wet particulate matter. The challenges generally focus around the ability to grab and hold dry or wet particulate matter in the inner volume of the bucket assembly, while minimizing spillage or leakage.
GB 311,582 discloses a bucket assembly or grab for holding particulate matter. The grab includes jaws designed to fit closely together so as to reduce loss of dry powdery material. Inside edges of the jaws are lined with rubber, which projects beyond the edges of the jaws to contact with an opposite meeting edge, also made of rubber. The rubber is attached in the form of strips to the jaws by passing clips or bolts through slots in the rubber slips, and bolting the strips to the jaws. The strips are reinforced with metal to help lengthen the life of the projecting lips of the rubber strips.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,498 discloses a grab bucket suitable for dredging sludge. The grab bucket includes a pair of grab shells rotatably hinged by means of hinge pins. Each shell comprises a pair of confronting side walls, each having generally a triangular configuration with a somewhat convex base as well as a rounded apex and a bottom plate connecting the bases of the side walls. The lower sides of the triangular side walls and the lower edge of the bottom plate of each of the grab shells are lined with a seal packing, which is made of an elastic material such as hard rubber. When the lower sides of the triangular side walls and the lower edges of the bottom plates are put tightly together, the elastic material inhibits the material within the closed grab shells from leaking through the contact edges of the side walls and the bottom plates.
There is a continuing need for producing bucket assemblies having the ability to grab and hold dry or wet particulate matter in the inner volume of the bucket assembly, while minimizing spillage or leakage at the edges of the connecting plates of the buckets. There is also a need for reinforced edges on the connecting plates to lengthen the life of the connecting plates.